For me, this time of year is when I start to take stock of my gear for the upcoming season.

I’m not going to be all philosophical and say that I reflect on the last season, and then try to determine where I should direct my efforts this year.....it’s more like I think about what flies worked best, and make sure I have plenty of them. Then, make sure my gear is ready. Rods, vests, reels, line, leaders, tippet etc.

The Sporting Gentleman in Media is offering Free Gear Tune up Clinics. Here is a link to their site:

http://www.sportinggentleman.com/upcomingevents/eventscalendar.html

My LL Bean wading boots only lasted 2 years, so I tried to get them repaired thru the store. They said “Well, we can just exchange them for you.” OK. Sweet.

I now have a pair of new Emerger II wading boots. Not top of the line, but I’ll give them a shot.

This year is going to be about simplicity. Making my vest more simple, my fly selection more simple, my fishing more simple. I was reading an article about a junior fly fishing champion from the Czech region. Threadbare waders, rusty tiny fly box, amazing confidence and pure stealth in his approach. The article described his fly selection as looking like garage sale materials tied into a few flies.

This kid out fished an entire field of bloated fly boxes, $800 waders and $1200 rods. Why?

Because he stuck with what worked for him. The flies may have been tied with garage sale stuff, but they worked. His confidence and stealth worked.

This year for me is about the simplicity of it.